Tractor Supply drama: A red-state high-flier goes anti-DEI
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Tractor Supply, an 86-year-old rural retailer that became a post-pandemic stock-market darling, caved to social media pressure last week and abolished a slew of diversity and environmental goals.
Why it matters: The move marks a stunning U-turn from the company's previous position.
Between the lines: Tractor Supply's announcement marks the latest and clearest sign of the strength of the backlash to the DEI movement.
- For the past year, companies have been quietly pulling away from DEI in the face of social media pressure and growing legal threats.
- Still, companies mostly said that they continue to believe in the spirit of fostering diverse, inclusive environments. Tractor Supply's announcement is notable for boldly declaring a break with all of it — in the middle of Pride month.
The big picture: Tennessee-based Tractor Supply is a consumer-facing company that quite explicitly appeals to conservative rural America with its "life out here" slogan. As such, it's particularly susceptible to allegations that it's a "woke corporation."
The bottom line: There's now blood in the water. Having forced such a spectacular reversal from Tractor Supply, right-wing activists will surely be emboldened to set their sights on any number of other public companies.
